


in a room of a million people, all i could see was you

by euphoricbxtch



Series: zuko & katara: soulmates [1]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Rock Band, Bisexual Katara, Bisexual Sokka, Bisexual Suki, Bisexual zuko, F/M, Fluff, Found Family, Pansexual Aang, SO MUCH FLUFF, bassist!suki, breif taang, drummer!toph, guitarist!zuko, katara is a swiftie, katara loves zuko, keyboardist!aang, lesbian Toph, love miss taylor, manager!sokka, ozai is a shit parent, previous maiko, seriously like SO much, singer!katara, they all love each other so much, toph is anti marriage & anti babies, tyzula is mentioned, water tribe siblings, we love sukka, zuko and azula have a healthy relationship, zuko calls katara love, zuko loves katara
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-19
Updated: 2021-02-19
Packaged: 2021-03-15 03:47:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,471
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29553033
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/euphoricbxtch/pseuds/euphoricbxtch
Summary: katara joins sokka’s band after their lead singer quitsthen katara finds her new family
Relationships: Katara/Zuko (Avatar), Sokka/Suki (Avatar)
Series: zuko & katara: soulmates [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2171187
Comments: 4
Kudos: 65





	in a room of a million people, all i could see was you

Katara stared at her brother in disbelief. He had to be kidding, right? There was no way he was being serious.

"I'm being dead serious, Kat." He responded. Well, maybe he was being serious for once in his life.

Apparently, the lead vocalist of the band Sokka managed had just quit, right before an important gig at Ran & Shaw's, a super popular bar in Brooklyn.

Katara had never actually met any of the band, apart from Suki, Sokka's girlfriend, it wasn't that she didn't want to, but she never seemed to have time, between university, working as well as songwriting and singing as a hobby.

Katara crossed her arms over her chest. "Why me?"

Sokka scoffed. "Why not you? You would've been my first choice for a lead vocalist, but you never had time." Sokka clasped his hands together and started properly begging. "Please, just come to one rehearsal and perform on Saturday. I swear, I'll never ask you for another favour ever."

Katara looked at her pleading brother's figure. She grimaced. He was literally begging for her help. And that's what the two of them did, help each other. She sighed softly.

"Fine, I'll grace you will my vocal talents until after Saturday."

•

A shriek rang out through the room AVATAR reserved for rehearsals, and Katara was immediately terrified as to what she had gotten herself into.

She was trailing behind Sokka, as he swung open the door at the sound. A small, skinny boy immediately rushed up to Sokka looking frantic. "Sokka!" He shook the older boy. "Suki just got randomly sent an... inappropriate picture from some guy."

"Just say dick, Aang!" Called the voice Katara recognised as Suki from where she sat, with her phone in her hand, nearly sobbing with laughter.

A much shorted girl piped up. "Or you could chose from a variety of other words." She begun to list them off on her fingers. "Cock, penis, schlong, meat-"

"Toph who the fuck says 'meat'?" Suki laughed even harder, she was literally rolling on the floor.

Katara felt her brother tense up from next to her, clenching his fists. "Who sent the picture, Suki? I'll beat them up for you."

Toph snorted. "With your twiggy arms? Please, Fangirl would kick his butt if she really wanted him out of commission."

Sokka gasped in mock-offensive. He had told Katara on multiple occasions that Suki could kick anyone's ass, and he called himself Suki's boy with pride. He definitely did not appreciate Katara calling him a bottom, but that was beside the point.

The skinny boy separated Sokka and Toph from getting into a fight, placing a hand on either of their shoulders. Both instantly calmed down. "Let's not fight, guys." He told them softly.

Toph huffed and angrily sat down on the drum seat. She pointed an accusing finger at skinny-boy. "You're lucky I like you, Twinkletoes." She grumbled.

Aang ignored the real meaning to her words, kissing her on the cheek. "I love you, too." Toph blushed furiously, trying, and failing, to repress a smile. Sokka laughed at her.

"Ooohhh." He hollered mockingly. "Okay Miss 'I act tough to not let my soft side sneak through'."

She glared, not in Sokka's direction, but it was meant for him. "You're mistaken. Twinkletoes gets a free pass, I would throw you in front of a train without hesitation."

Aang furrowed his eyebrows at Toph and huffed, she mumbled a quick apology. Aang then turned his gaze to Katara, who was silently observing the whole event. "Hi, Katara!" He beamed. "We're all so excited you decided to help us out, it means a lot! I'm so glad to finally meet you, Sokka talks about you all the time."

"Frankly, it gets a bit annoying." Toph chimed in.

Katara chuckled under her breath. "Well, I'm happy to help out. I hope Sokka, my apparent super fan, says good things about me."

"Oh he raves about your talent, especially in songwriting. We actually used one of your songs for one of our other performances." Suki told her with a grin at her confused look. " _Bad Dreams_?"

That jogged her memory. Ah, yes. The song she wrote in senior year of high school about how fucking stressful it was. It was okay, but not one of her favourites. She laughed a little. "Yeah, Sokka begged for that one."

She raised her eyebrows. " _Begged_ , like literally?"

Katara nodded, humming an affirmation. "Like a four year old."

Her brother blushed, and interrupted the conversation before Katara and Suki could start ganging up on him. "Well, little sis, I guess we should formally introduce you to the gang.

This is Toph, she's on drums and blind at the same time, I don't know how she manages to do it. She's also a full time pain in the ass." Toph punched his arm quite hard and he winced.

"That's how I show affection, Sugar Queen, get used to it."

Katara furrowed her eyebrows. "Sugar Queen?"

Toph shrugged, but Sokka answered for her. "Nicknames are also another form of affection for her. Anyways, this is Aang, our keyboardist. He's a vegan hipster who wants to be everyone's friend, he's also got a surprisingly good tolerance to weed."

Aang shrugged when Katara looked at him. "As he said, hipster." He pointed both thumbs to himself.

"Then there's Suki, who you know, the bassist. Most amazing woman to ever walk to face of the Earth, so beautiful and talented and could kill me without hesitation." Sokka told his concerned sister with a dreamy look in his eyes.

He then pointed to a little control room off the side of the main room, and Katara noticed a shadow of a man in there. Sokka continued. "And that's Zuko, the guitarist and back up vocals. Just your average broody, dark-haired, bad-boy aesthetic loser." He shrugged, which caused Toph to laugh in his face.

"Please, Snoozles. Zuko is the most awkward dipshit to ever walk the Earth, he just looks like your typical bad boy. The truth is, he volunteers at his Uncle's tea shop any moment he can get, writes killer music and tells shitty jokes. He's the dad friend."

" _Sexy_ dad friend." Suki chimed in, getting a look from Sokka. She threw her hands up in defence. "What? You want me to deny it? You literally told everyone if we weren't together, you would have been rejected by him by now."

Sokka opened his mouth in response, but shut it, which made Katara laugh. Toph pointed at her, a smirk on her face. "You're laughing now, Sugar Queen, but you won't be. He's a fine man."

"You're blind Toph, you don't know what he looks like." Sokka deadpanned.

"Thanks for the reminder, but I know he's fine as fuck by the way I can basically hear pussies throbbing for him when we get on stage - oh _hey, Sparky_." Toph smirked in Katara's direction when Zuko entered the main room.

Katara had to admit that he may have been the most gorgeous man she had ever encountered. He simply appeared to be sculpted by the Gods themselves. He did have the bad boy aesthetic thing going on, with the longish messy black hair and bright amber eyes. Dressed in ripped denim jeans, a plain black top and a black leather jacket, the whole look finished with silver chains around his neck and black painted nails. Katara was pretty sure she died and went to heaven. She didn't even notice the red scar that took up most of the right side of his face.

 _Lord Nicki Minaj, please have mercy on me and do not let me be a fucking idiot in front of Sex God in human form_ she prayed in her head.

Luckily, her people watching only took a few seconds. Toph gave Katara a knowing look, and how she managed to do it while being blind was almost more impressive than Zuko.

Note: almost.

"What the fuck are you talking about, Toph?" He grumbled, in a deep voice than really made her think things she probably shouldn't say aloud. Especially in front of her brother.

Toph waved him off. "Just telling Sugar Queen over here to watch out for the floor after the show on Saturday, you know, when all your fan girls cream their pants at your presence."

Zuko went bright red, his hand finding the back of his neck and rubbing it, but Toph continued. "Oh, Sugar Queen! I forgot to tell you to watch out for Sparky's whack-o fans on Saturday. They'll probably hit you with their white, Jeep Wrangler if they see your up on stage with their man."

Katara raised an eyebrow, but remembered Toph couldn't see, so she scoffed instead. "I am a bisexual, indigenous, woman of colour living in America, I promise you I've faced worse before."

Toph let out a low whistle. "What the fuck is up with this group and bisexuals. I'm bi, Snoozles is bi, Fangirl is bi, Sparky is bi and Sugar Queen is bi, too? We should change our name from _AVATAR_ to _the bisexual bitches_."

Aang piped up. "I'm not bi, I'm pansexual." He clarified to Katara with a happy grin.

Katara smiled back. "This is good, I'm tired of the straight bitches at my school asking if I have a crush on them."

"Oh my God, you get that too?" Suki asked, Katara nodding in response. "It's the worst. Like, not everyone is attracted to you, your internalised misogyny or your fishy pussy, _Emily_."

"Don't forget the borderline-blackface fake tan, or the anti-feminism to get asshole frat boys to fuck them." Katara added on.

Suki nodded in agreement. "What's up with the obsession with frat boys? They smell like puke, Axe deodorant and White Claw."

"So true, Bestie."

"Uh, what the fuck?" Sokka asked both Suki and Katara. "I was in a fraternity."

Katara crossed her arms across her chest. "You mean, before you dropped out? I stand by what I said, you smelled like shit constantly and wondered by Suki kept rejecting you."

Suki snorted a laugh, and Katara heard another laugh from the door connecting the two rooms. Zuko leaned against to door frame, arms across his chest, examining Katara's every move. She felt a small blush rise on her cheeks as Zuko smiled softly at her.

Katara was broken from her trance when Sokka started spluttering. "I'll have you know my high school homophobia was completely internalised because I was repressing my bisexuality." Suki gave him a look and he quickly continued defending himself. "Babe, it's called character development, seriously. I've dated a dozen guys, three of those were even _stable_ and _healthy_ relationships!"

"To be fair, Snoozles had actually dated more guys than girls." Toph backed up Sokka, him mumbling out a thanks.

"You made out with my ex at a party, Sokka." Katara reminded him with a small smile.

"I didn't mean to make out with him, Kat! I told you, I literally did acid and was tripping out of my mind, I thought he was Dylan O'Brien."

"Why would Dylan O'Brien be at a college frat party?"

"I don't know, I didn't ask."

•

To say Katara was freaking out would be the understatement of the century. She was crouched in the green room backstage with her head in her hands on the brink of passing out. There was a reason she didn't like to perform.

What if they hated her songs? Hated her voice? What if Zuko's ass-kicking fans jumped her? What if she forgot the words? What if her voice broke while she was performing?

She wanted to curl into the fetus position and die. She was panicking. Her heart was beating incredibly fast, and her breathing was short and rapid.

She didn't hear the door open over the sound of her quiet sobs.

"Katara?" A male voice called. Zuko. "Katara we're on in 10 minutes? Are you in here?" She raised her head to look at him, and his eyes softened when he met her gaze. He took the guitar off his back, placing it against a speaker and sat down next to where she was curled up. "Hey, what's wrong?"

He placed a tentative hand on her bare shoulder. Despite the roughness of his hands, the callouses and blisters worn from years of playing the guitar, his touch was soft and reassuring, and she relaxed a bit under it.

She wiped tears from her eyes with the heal of her palm, lowering her sight back to the ground. She gave a flat, self-deprecating chuckle. "Nothing. I - it's nothing, I'm just being stupid." She shook her head and tried to brush him away.

It didn't work. He tightened his grip. "Katara." He smiled softly. She nearly passed out at the way he said her name. "It's okay to have stage-fright, you know?"

"It's so stupid, Zuko. I'm just - I don't want to mess up and embarrass myself." She flushed beet red and buried her face in her hands. "What if I forget the lyrics? Or if - I don't know - I trip over on stage? I'd die of embarrassment." Her breathing started quickening again, her heartbeat skyrocketing. "I can't do this." She said much more quietly.

He grabbed both of her hands with both of his, and the heart that was beating a mile a minute, skipped a few beats and fumbled. She looked down at their hands. _Are my hands really that small_ she thought _or are his just extra big?_

"You can do this, I know you can." He reassured her quietly, squeezing her hands. "You are so incredibly talented, Katara. You have a beautiful voice and your songs are amazing. Just do what you did at rehearsals and everyone will adore you."

"But, there's so many people -"

"I get stage fright sometimes, too." He told her, causing her eyes to widen slightly. "When I do, I just tune it out and focus on something else. Usually it's my guitar, but I guess you don't have that luxury." He shifted a little so they were completely facing each other. He pursed his lips for a second, as if contemplating what he was about to say. A pink blush rose to his cheeks. "I want you to focus on me."

Now Katara blushed. "What?"

"I mean it. If you feel yourself start to freak out, just look at me and pretend it's just us. No crowd or fan girls or Sokka chastising you from side stage. Just you and me." He looked away slightly, a little bit in embarrassment, she suspected. Katara didn't care, she was still processing what he had said.

A small smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. "You do know how cliché that sounds, right?" She let out a small laugh.

He gave her a lopsided smile and chuckled. "I know how it sounds, but my other stage-fright prevention method is to do shots."

"I think it's best I stay sober. Sokka might yell at me."

He stood up, helping her up as he went along. Her legs were a little bit wobbly, but she was fine otherwise. He raised his good eyebrow at her. "I didn't think you were afraid of Sokka."

She crossed her arms across her chest. "I'm not. But if he yells at me, then Suki will yell at him for yelling at me. And I don't want Sokka to cry."

Zuko snorted a laugh. "That sounds about right." He picked up his electric guitar and slung it over his back in a quick motion. He wasn't wearing a leather jacket, just a tight black t-shirt that Katara could easily make out all the ridges of his muscles with. She could almost see the ripple of muscle in his bicep in the motion.

He twisted the door handle, swinging it open, but before he left, he turned to her and said, "I forgot to mention, you look really pretty tonight" before leaving. She didn't see the blush on his cheeks as he left.

A small smile made it's way onto her face, and suddenly, the big crowd wasn't the thing on Katara's mind.

•

To be honest, Katara's decision to stay in AVATAR wasn't a hard one. She loved it. She absolutely killed her first performance, just like Zuko said she would, and the crowd adored her. Now she got to see the songs she treasured so much be performed on stage, by a band she was in. And a they were a good band. She had only been in the band for a month, but it already felt like a second family.

Then midterms came around, and Katara put her entire like outside of school on hold.

She spent rehearsals memorising flash cards and writing notes about organic chemistry instead of writing songs or singing.

When she Uber Eats'd her third coffee of the 2 hour practice, Sokka decided that she had enough of her sister over stressing herself.

He had called a group meeting, with everyone apart from the sister in question. "She's a genius, she'll pass midterms with flying colours! But she's over stressing herself again, and I'm worried."

Toph rolled her milky green eyes. "Of course she's over stressing, Sugar Queen is a perfectionist. She won't settle for less than a 100."

"I'm being serious, Toph! She needs to have a break." Sokka snapped in response. He always got defensive over his sister.

"I know that." She snarked. "I have an easy solution. Just get Sparky to ask her to take a break."

Sokka narrowed his eyebrows at his black-haired friend, who was now painted with a crimson blush. _What's going on between him and Katara_? Sokka wondered to himself.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Sokka asked Toph, harshly, his intense gaze not snapping away from Zuko.

Toph cackled, doubling over. "What's that supposed to mean?" She mocked. "You're blinder than me! Zuko is pussy-whipped over your sister. Pus-sy. Whipped."

Sokka shrieked, and Zuko's eyes widened. "Toph! I - I'm not - we're friends! Just friends. We - we haven't - I promise, Sokka!" He stuttered out, only making Toph laugh harder.

Suki rolled her eyes at Zuko. "Me when I lie." She deadpanned.

"I'm not lying!" He yelled, but it came out much more high pitched than he intended. "We - we're friends."

Sokka shrugged his shoulders. He trusted that Zuko wouldn't start dating Katara without consulting him first, and he knew that Zuko probably wasn't even Katara's type.

Suki saw the cogs moving in his brain and rolled her eyes. As much as she loved him, he was oblivious to romance.

"So how exactly are we going to help Katara?" Sokka re-asked the question.

Toph groaned. "Seriously? Why aren't you beating up Sparky for perving on your sister?"

Sokka shrugged. "Zuko doesn't have feelings for people, and I don't thinks Kat would go for him anyways."

"What's the supposed to mean?" Zuko scoffed, sounding very offended.

Sokka threw his hands up in defence. "I guess she's not really into the whole bad boy ordeal you have going on all here." He gestured to his body.

Suki let out a low snort. "Oh, babe, you are so blind sometimes, it's adorable."

"What are you talking about?"

"There is not one person on the planet that isn't attracted to the whole bad boy ordeal." Suki responded with a raised eyebrow.

"She said it," Toph told him, going back to examining her drums, which was clearly a ploy to get out of conversation because of her blindness, "not me."

•

Katara couldn't believe it. She had been in the group for nearly six months now, and they had their first chance to get a record deal with White Lotus Records.

A representative was going to be at Ran and Shaw's bar in two weeks, when AVATAR were performing. They had to come up with something awesome, something so showstopping that the representative couldn't possibly reject them.

It's why Katara and Zuko were still in the rehearsal room three hours after the rest of them left. They had to write a song.

Katara threw her pen onto the ground, ripped a piece of paper out of her notebook and launched it into the pile of already used paper, featuring their failed song ideas.

Katara scrubbed her hands over her face with a groan. "This is ridiculous. I've got absolutely nothing."

"Same here." Zuko responded from across the room, tuning his guitar. "My mind is just blank."

"Can't we just use one of my songs out of the folder?" She questioned him with a raised eyebrow.

Zuko sighed and shook his head. "Sokka says we need something brand new and original."

" _Sokka says we need something new_." Katara mocked in a high pitched voice. "What does he know about music?"

"Jack shit." Zuko responded instantly. "But your brother knows what the people want."

Katara smirked at Zuko, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "What if we just send you up there naked?" She heard him choke on his saliva. "I'm sure that will distract everyone from whatever song we're singing."

"No." He rasped, out of breath. _You can see me naked if you want_ he thought to himself. "That - that is not happening."

Katara giggled, and Zuko felt his heartbeat falter. "I'm kidding." She moved from the swivel chair she was perched on to the seat of the piano in the room. Aang used a keyboard, but they had a small piano for the purpose of songwriting.

She lifted up the lid and looked over her shoulder at the boy who watched her every move. He thought she didn't notice, but she was more perceptive than he thought. She gestured to the room on the seat she was one. "Are you not going to join me?"

Zuko widened his eyes, scrambling over to the seat in less than a second. She giggled again when he hit his knee on the piano, and a blush rose to his cheeks. He was the tallest in their band, standing at 6'3, much taller than her 5'6.

Katara didn't say it aloud, but he was the perfect height for hugging.

"These things aren't very height inclusive." Zuko grumbled, rubbing his knee.

Katara rolled her eyes jokingly, a smile on her face. "It's the perfect height for normal people, not freakishly large people."

"I'm not freakishly large! You're just freakishly short." He responded, crossing his arms over his chest, pretending to be mad. She could tell when his face broke into a beautiful smile. She laughed.

She looked down at the piano keys. "Do you know how to play?"

Zuko shook his head. "Never learned. Uncle tried to get me into piano when I was in middle school, but I refused. I thought it wasn't manly enough." He blushed again.

Katara shrugged. "Aang seems to do fine with women."

"That's because he's super likeable, it has nothing to do with his musical talents." Zuko responded. "The reason he picked Toph is beyond me."

"They balance each other out well. They're basically opposites, and, according to chemistry, opposites attract." She looked down at her and Zuko's clothes. He was in his usual black ripped jeans and tight black t-shirt. She was in blue-baggy cargo pants and a white-cropped cami, with a purple, unbuttoned plaid shirt over the top. She wore a star-necklace while he had a thick chain around his neck. _Like us_ she thought _maybe opposites do attract._

She knew that was true, because another part of her whispered _I am so in love with you that it hurts. I want to wake up next to you every day for the rest of my life._

_I love you. I love you. I love you._

_I love you more than anything._

_But I don't know how to tell you without ruining what we have._

She laughed a little bit. "Hey, kind of like you and me." She said more quietly. She said it like she hadn't been thinking about it, which was a big, fat lie.

She looked up and met his gaze, but he was already staring at her, with nothing but adoration and love in his eyes. He looked at her like she was the only thing that ever existed, the only thing that ever mattered.

Katara wanted him to know. Wanted him to know how she felt. And for a moment, she didn't care if she would ruin their friendship, didn't care if he would hate her for falling in love with him. If there was even just a small chance they could be together, well, she was happy to take that risk.

She met his gaze once more, softening her smile as he did too. She took a deep breath. "Zuko -"

"I'm in love with you." He blurted out.

Oh.

 _Oh_.

_Oh my fucking God. Thank you Lord Nicki Minaj._

She was about to tell him that she was completely and utterly in love with him too, when he groaned, face falling into his hands.

"I'm so, so sorry, Katara." She blinked in surprise. Why would he be sorry? Was he just kidding? She felt tears prickle in her eyes. "I shouldn't have said that. I - I just ruined our friendship, didn't I?" He laughed flatly to himself. "I'm such an idiot. It's just - it was hard not to fall in love with you, you know? Like, you're so smart and beautiful and kind and talented and, frankly, a little bit scary sometimes. But we just have this, I don't know, connection? One I've never really felt with anyone else before, and, sure I've have girlfriends and boyfriends before, but I didn't connect with them the way I connected with you. And when we perform together, it's like nothing else even matters, it's like this other world where it's just you and me and, it's just perfect. You're perfect."

Katara was in tears at that point. The fat globs of water uncontrollably ran down her cheeks and into her mouth, that wore a smile. A grin, actually, a huge grin, because the boy she loved just gave the most heartwarming speech about how much he loved her.

He was perfect. So, so perfect.

He met Katara's gaze and he freaked out. "Oh my God, I made you cry. I'm so sorry, Katara, I didn't mean-"

She cut him off by kissing him. _Hard_.

And when he pressed his mouth to hers in response with equal amounts of fire, it was the best thing that she had ever experienced. It was like a bomb was going off in her heart. The world could shatter before her eyes, everything could disappear and she wouldn't have cared. Because he loved her back.

She loved him with everything she had in her, and he loved her just the same.

It was a difficult manoeuvre onto his lap, but it worked when she slung her arms around his neck and he rested his hands at her waist. She played with the hair at the back of his head, she didn't think it would be that soft.

She rested her forehead against his when they broke apart, both with panted breaths, pounding hearts and large, lovesick grins on their faces. Katara moved her hands from the back of his head to cup his face in them, running her thumb along the ridge of scarred tissue gently.

Their gazes met, amber eyes meeting ocean blue ones. Katara pressed their lips together for a short few seconds before she said the words. "I love you so much. So, so much, Zuko, it's crazy."

He grinned at her, and she returned it in an instant. The song ideas were just racking up in Katara's brain, but she would recover them later. When she was tired of feeling her lips on his.

She suspected that she would never tire from that feeling, so they kissed again, and again, and again, pretending that the world around them came to a standstill just for them to experience the moment right.

They kissed and forgot anything else existed.

•

Katara and Zuko had made the decision to start dating in secret. It wasn't that they were afraid of what the others would think, or what their fans would think, they just wanted to keep their relationship to themselves for a little while.

Neither were complaining, and they didn't think anyone, apart from maybe Toph or Iroh, suspected anything.

Their relationship consisted of stolen kisses when nobody was looking, Zuko driving Katara home from rehearsals or picking her up after classes, where the couple cuddled up on the couch and watched Katara's 'shitty' romcoms, Katara always deciding to blast Taylor Swift songs and Zuko reluctantly letting her (he secretly loved Taylor, but wouldn't admit it) (Katara found out when she saw him mouthing all the words to 'Dear John' on their way home from rehearsals).

Also the sex. Katara was not afraid to admit that Zuko was the best sex of her life (she also wasn't afraid to admit that he was the biggest she'd ever had). He knew all her weak points and worshipped her body as if she were a goddess (he was especially good at helping her praise kink, and was more than happy to dominate her when she told him that's what she liked).

It was three weeks into their relationship when Katara had her 22nd birthday, and she woke up, naked, in Zuko's warm arms, their legs tangled together as she used his muscled chest as a pillow. He was already awake and fiddling with her hair.

She turned her head slightly and smiled up at him. "Good morning." She rasped out in her morning voice.

He pressed a short kiss to the crown of her head. "Good morning, birthday girl." He responded, voice still husky from sleep. "Happy 22nd, my love."

She blushed. She always blushed when he called her that, but she loved it when he did, and he loved it when she blushed. It was a win-win situation.

He smirked at her when her cheeks went red, and she buried her face in his chest to hide her face. " _Zuko_ ~" she groaned out. " _Stop_."

She felt his chuckle vibrate through this chest. "You're cute when you get all flustered." He said, slightly muffled by her hair as he pressed another kiss into it. "What do you want to do today? It's your choice."

She rested her chin on his chest and looked up into his eyes with a smile, to which he responded by moving a stray piece of brunette hair behind her ear. "It's always my choice, you just can't say no to me, can you?"

He let out a long sigh. "Of course I can't."

"You know what that makes you?" She questioned, a mischievous smirk etching onto her face.

"What?"

"My _bitch_." She responded with a laugh, he narrowed his good eyebrow at her, and she tugged at his unscarred cheek with a free hand, like her Gran Gran always did to her.

"Just because it's true doesn't mean you have to say it, Kat." He huffed.

She snorted. "Oh, stop brooding." She reached for her phone, ignoring all of the notifications and pulling up her schedule. She furrowed her eyebrows while she read the 'birthday itinerary', as she liked to call it. Zuko just called it ridiculous. "Anyways, we have rehearsal at 4:00, and then dinner with our friends at 6:00. I wanted to go to the gym at 11:00, so you have plenty of time to make me birthday breakfast." She grinned at him, and he rolled his eyes with a smile. "Other than that, we have the rest of the day together. Oh! I was also hoping we could see Iroh at some point."

"I do need to workout." He patted his bicep for emphasis but with a knowing smirk. The dick knew he was jacked. "It takes effort to look this good."

Katara rolled her eyes. "You are such a douche. Besides, you barely even workout anymore, you just watch me do squats."

"What can I say? You have a fantastic ass, Kat, especially fantastic in those tights." He pinched her naked butt underneath the comforter and she squealed.

After that, Katara looked unamused. "If you keep staring at my beautiful ass all day, you'll lose all the muscle you worked so hard to gain."

Zuko waved off the idea. "Ridiculous, it won't just disappear, besides we do plenty of other exercise together." He smirked.

"You are unbelievable." She exasperated, a light blush tinting her cheeks, only making his smirk wider. He leaned down to kiss her, but she stopped him. "Nuh uh, morning breath, mister."

Zuko whined, dropping his head back onto the white pillow in Katara's bed. "I can't even kiss my own girlfriend? That should be a federal offence."

She laughed. "You can kiss me after you make me breakfast."

He huffed. "Fine. You're lucky I like you." He reached over to the side table and grabbed his phone. She caught a glimpse of the lock screen photo. It was a selfie Katara had took of the two the other night when she forced him to watch _10 Thing I Hate About You_. They were cuddled up on the sofa, her head resting on his shoulder and his head resting on hers. She smiled to herself. I love him so much she thought to herself. "Uncle wishes you a happy birthday."

She scooted up his body a bit to look at the screen and laughed. "' _Tell Miss Katara I wish her a happy birthday, and that I expect grandkids very soon_ '. I'm surprised he didn't throw subtle shade at you."

"Me too, he probably considered it." He looked down at her and begun carding his fingers through her hair. She sighed and leaned into his touch. "Sorry about him, he's been bugging me about kids since I turned 20."

She waved it off. "I promise you the first question my mom asks you will be whether you are fertile. Then Dad will death glare you and her before Mom softens him up. Grandad will judge you until Gran Gran threatens him. It's all the usual."

Zuko's eyes widened a little bit before he smiled at her. "You want me to meet your family?"

"Why wouldn't I? I love them and I love you, therefore they need to meet you. My parents will adore you, Zuko, trust me." She traced his sharp collarbone with index finger.

"I want you to meet the rest of my family, too." He begun braiding a small section of her hair, causing her to giggle. "There's Mom and Ikem, my step dad, with Kiyi, my half sister. And then there's Iroh, who you've obviously met, and my cousin Lu Ten. Then there's Lu Ten's wife and three kids, they all live in Portland. And my sister Azula." Zuko took a deep breath and gulped.

Katara knew that Zuko never had a good relationship with his father, but she didn't know the specific details. Whether he decided to tell her was his decision. If he did, she would listen and be there for him and if he didn't, she wouldn't press him on it.

"My father- I haven't spoken to him since I was 13. When he gave me this." He gestured to the scar on his face, and Katara let out a soft gasp. "He got mad at me, I don't even remember what for, and burned me with hot candle wax. He'd always hit me and Mom, sometimes even Azula. That's when Mom took Azula and I, packed up and left to stay with Uncle. He looked for us, but he couldn't find us. Uncle used the money from his shop to help us hire a lawyer to file a restraining order. Then Mom rekindled her romance with Ikem and they had Kiyi three years later."

Katara felt her eyes prick with tears. She couldn't begin to imagine her father ever laying a finger on her, let alone burning half of her face off. She watched as tears spilled from Zuko's eyes and immediately wrapped him in a hug.

"That's horrible, Zuko." She mumbled into the crook of his neck. "No one should ever have to go through something like that."

His breath was a bit shaky against the skin of her neck, but she could tell he had stopped crying. "It's okay now, love. I'm okay, and my father is probably somewhere across the country."

"I hope he's somewhere dead. He sounds like a fucking loser."

"He was a giant homophobe. I wonder how he'd react to having a bisexual son and a lesbian daughter." She felt him smile, so she unwrapped herself from him, laying on his body again, with her head resting in the crook of her elbow while looking at him.

"I'm so proud of you, Zuko. And I love you so much." She tilted her head up a tiny bit and pressed her lips to his, ignoring her earlier complaint about morning breath.

Zuko laughed into the kiss. "What happened to morning breath and having to wait until I made you food?"

She rolled her eyes. "I came to the realisation that I don't actually give a fuck. Isn't that _exciting_?"

He hummed in agreement. "I love you, Katara. I love you so much it's a little bit concerning."

It was a beautiful moment for them.

Before it was rudely interrupted by the door of Katara's bedroom swinging open and all their friends screaming "SURPRISE! HAPPY BIRTHDAY KATARA!"

She immediately pulled the comforter over her and Zuko's naked bodies, hopefully shielding any skin from their friends.

She looked over, ignoring the shocked looks on everyone, except Toph's, faces. Suki was holding a blue cake, Aang was holding a '22' balloon, Sokka was holding a bottle of vodka in one hand and a bottle of wine in the other and Toph was holding a 'Happy Birthday Katara!' sign upside down.

Katara and Zuko looked at each other and then looked at their friends. Suki looked ecstatic, Aang looked surprised and mildly traumatised (Katara thought he was being over dramatic, it wasn't like her boobs or pussy or Zuko's dick was hanging out), Toph looked smug and Sokka looked like he was about to rip Zuko's head clean off his body.

" _What the fuck?!_ " Sokka screeched at the top of his lungs, looking between his naked best friend in bed with his naked sister who were both sitting up and staring at the uninvited guests with the comforter covering all genitalia. "Is this some kind of joke?"

Katara let out a nervous laugh, blowing a breath out. "Uh- surprise?" It only made Sokka madder.

"I thought you were joking when Toph said Zuko was whipped over you-"

"Don't quote me incorrectly, I said pussy-whipped." Toph cut in.

Sokka rolled his eyes at the blind girl. "When did you say that?" Katara asked Toph.

Toph shrugged. "Like 5 months ago." Toph grabbed onto Aang's shoulder with one of her palms outstretched. "Pay up, Twinkletoes. 20 bucks to me and 20 bucks to Fangirl."

"What the fuck?"

"Excuse me? You were betting on us?"

Katara and Zuko spoke in sync, both with furrowed eyebrows and hands folded across their chests.

Suki merely hummed. "Duh. Aang bet it would take another year for you two to realise you were in love with each other. Toph and I bet this year. Now, I'm $20 richer."

"Hold on a second." Sokka butted in. "Why was I the only one not aware of this?"

"Because you are legally blind when it comes to romance that doesn't include you." Suki rubbed her hand up and down his arm reassuringly.

Sokka turned his confused look to glare at Zuko. "I can't believe you would do this to me, man. You broke ultimate bro code."

"You called my mom hot on more than one occasion. I think that's a bit worse." Zuko retorted, causing Katara to laugh.

Sokka scoffed. "It's not like I fucked your mom! You clearly fucked my sister. You defiled her! She was pure and innocent-"

"No she wasn't."

"And my baby sister-"

"It's my 22nd birthday."

"Was defiled. By you! My best friend-"

"Hey! What about me? Your other bro?"

"One of my best friends. You deserve the electric chair!" Sokka exaggerated.

Suki looked fed up, and Zuko and Katara were pissed off. Suki lightly slapped him over the back of the head. "Stop being ridiculous, Sokka."

"Zuko did not defile me, you dick. First of all, I lost my virginity to Haru in junior year of high school." Katara started.

Sokka jumped in with another unnecessary comment. "Haru! I thought he was a good guy. Every one is so fake."

"Next he's going to be doing ' _streaks don't hit me up, only real ones know_ '." Toph cackled, Aang laughing at her joke.

"Second of all," Katara snarled. "Not that it's any of your damn business, but I initiated sex the first time we did it. Third, defile is such a sexist term. And finally, I'll fuck whoever I want to fuck and there is nothing you can do about it. I love Zuko and he loves me and there is nothing you can do about it."

Sokka entire angry look dropped. "You two aren't just sleeping together? You're like, in love and shit?" Both of them nodded. Sokka grinned. "Why didn't you just say so! Oh, this is the best day of my life! My best friend-" a cough from Aang, "one of my best friends and my sister! Zuko, buddy, welcome to the family!"

The complete change of tone equally shocked Katara and Zuko. He looked at her and she shrugged.

"I'd totally hug you right now, but you're all naked and shit, so we'll save it for later."

Katara clapped her hands together. "Everyone go wait on the couch while we get dressed. Zuko's making breakfast!" All four friends cheered and happily moved into the sitting room, shutting the door behind them.

Zuko furrowed his eyebrows. "I thought I was only cooking for you? It's not their birthdays." He huffed.

Katara raised her eyebrow. "Do this and I'll let you tie me up next time we're in bed."

Zuko's eyes flew wide, examining her features. "You're serious?"

She nodded. "Of course I'm serious, it would be a real ass move of me to give you false hope."

Zuko shot out of bed immediately, looking around for his boxers and grey sweatpants that he wore the day before. Katara flopped back onto the bed laughing. "Horny asshole."

"Your horny asshole." He bent over the bed, kissing her on the lips quickly before making his way to the door. "Love you, babe!" He called out as he hurried to the kitchen.

"Love you, too, dickhead!" She called back. She heard his deep laugh from the kitchen.

She could definitely get used to this.

Get used to him.

•

It wasn't that Zuko never believed in love as a child, he just never believed that someone could love him to the extent of which he loved them.

After two months into his relationship with Katara, he was questioning how he ever thought that as a child.

They wrote the song, together, that landed their group a record deal. It a disgustingly adorable love song that they somehow made not completely sappy. But it was before the big performance when he found out how much she loved him, and it came in the form of jealousy (he secretly loved when she got all possessive over him like no one had before).

Zuko had gotten jealous before, and he thought it was pretty justified, considering everywhere they went, men glanced at Katara's ass or did a double take at her face. He obviously didn't blame them, she was gorgeous, but he still subtly pulled her closer into him or wrapped his arm around her waist every time something like that happened.

She always laughed at him when he did that (she more openly loved when he held her tighter, because she knew touch was his love language).

He had never seen Katara jealous before that night, the night where his ex-girlfriend showed up at Ran and Shaw's before their big performance, along with his sister and her girlfriend.

Azula had called him over, and he instantly knew she was trying to stir up drama for her own entertainment. He was pissed, especially when she brought along Mai and especially when she had that glint in her eyes.

He and Mai didn't part on the greatest terms. Actually, that would be an understatement. They broke up after a daily screaming match when she had brought up his father. He didn't hesitate to end their relationship after she told him he was 'being over dramatic'. She tried calling him and texting him and apologising, but Sokka dropped his phone in the toilet before he could.

They stood on neutral grounds, but he had a feeling she still had feelings for him, especially with his new rockstar-bad boy aesthetic. He hadn't forgiven her, but he held no resentment.

Azula grinned evilly at him. "Zuzu! We came here to support you and your little band of losers!" She patted the seat next to her, and he reluctantly sat down.

"Thanks." He said flatly. "Why are you suddenly so nice?"

Ty Lee grinned at him from across the table. "It was my idea! I heard about your band from one of my friends at the gym, her name is Suki, she's in your band!"

"Thank you, Ty. I am aware that one of my best friends is in my band."

Ty Lee ignored his sarcastic comment and continued talking all bright and bubbly. "Anyways, Suki said this was a huge deal for you guys so I convinced Azula to come down here to support. So boom!" Mai was looking at Zuko, with a certain sensual look in her eyes. Usually, it would have made him blush, but now it just made him uncomfortable. Ty Lee looked between the two of them. "Oh, I hope it's not awkward for you two! I forget you guys used to date."

Zuko waved off the comment. "It's fine, Ty. Zuko and I are on neutral grounds." Mai responds in her usual, dull voice.

Zuko glanced at her, dressed in mostly black drinking a whisky on the rocks, and then looked at his beautiful girlfriend who was setting up microphones for them onstage, dressed in her usual bright look as if she come directly off a Pinterest board. _Fuck, I love her_.

He wondered why his type when it came to women were on different ends of the spectrum. With men, he tended to always go for boys who would definitely leave him heartbroken. Boys like Jet, his ex who was a terrible influence on him and broke his heart.

Azula stood up, gripping onto her empty beer bottle. She nodded her head at Ty Lee. "Babe, I need a refill. Can you come?" She asked. Ty Lee just nodded her head with a smile, taking her hand and leading her towards the bar.

Zuko didn't miss the mischievous smirk sent his way by his sister. He wanted to strangle her. "So, Zuko," he turned his attention to Mai, who started speaking. "How have you been?"

"Fine. Band's good, life's good." He wanted to boast about how he is dating the most beautiful girl he'd ever laid eyes on, but that's not a conversation you have with your ex.

She raised her eyebrow at him, a coy smirk playing at her lips. "Come on, Zuko." She ran her nail up his forearm, which he immediately snatched back. "We've been broken up for, what, a year now? I think you made your point."

"What are you talking about?" He snapped harshly.

She scoffed and rolled her eyes. "You're such an idiot sometimes. I want to get back together."

He was not expecting that. Not at all. He was expecting her to just drop subtle hints at fucking later on, to which he would obviously decline.

Little did he know, Katara heard most of the conversation, and mad was an understatement for how she was feeling. She didn't get overly jealous (admittedly still a little bit though). She knew that the fan girls came with Zuko, and it didn't bother her because he didn't know them or talk to them, and they didn't touch him.

This was different. She watched from a distance as his sister and her girlfriend left the table, and the girl immediately started to flirt with him. She watched as she ran a sharp, red nail down his arm and then heard her ask to get back together. An ex girlfriend.

Zuko didn't hear Katara fuming as she stalked up to the table. "Mai, no. I broke up with you. I'm over you."

Mai scoffed again. "Really? You won't do better than me-"

"Excuse me?" The voice of his girlfriend interrupted their uncomfortable conversation. Zuko looked at her and immediately knew that if looks could kill, Mai would be six feet under. "I need to borrow him."

"No can do, girl." Mai responded for them. "We're busy."

Katara clenched her jaw, her fists curling and nails digging into her skin to stop her from accidentally punching this bitch's nose off her face. "I wasn't asking." She grabbed his hand and dragged him away, sending Mai a death glare when she told Zuko to call her.

Katara dragged them into her dressing room, immediately locking the door behind them. She glared at him. "Who was _she_?" She seethed.

Zuko was a little bit terrified of her. "My ex-girlfriend, Mai. We broke up a year ago, I told you about her, remember?" She was still mad, but he knew her anger was directed at someone else. "She was apparently under the impression that we were going to get back together, which is not happening. Are you angry?"

"I'm not angry." She said _angrily_.

"You sound pissed."

"I'm not."

"Are jealous?" He asked, arms crossed against his chest with a smirk on his face.

Katara gritted her teeth. "OF COURSE I'M JEALOUS!" She yelled, slumping down on a chair in defeat. Her face fell into her hands in embarrassment. His eyes immediately softened and his smirk fell. "I'm jealous because this stunning, skinny, tall girl with pin straight hair and pale skin waltzes into a place that is my safe space and starts flirting with my boyfriend and wants to start dating him again. And why wouldn't she? You're amazing and handsome and talented, and basically every girl in the audience is in love with you! I try so hard to ignore the way they look at you but I can't, and I am so scared that one day you will wake up and realise that you can do so much better than me! That you want to be with someone like Mai, the type of girl who makes me feel insecure by just looking at her because she has everything I don't!" She looked up at him, tears glassing over her ocean blue eyes. "I'm terrified." She whispered.

Zuko bent crouched down so he was at eye level with her. He cupped her face in his hands, wiping tears that rolled down her cheeks with the pad of his thumb. He kissed her gently. "Katara, I am in love with you. I am so incredibly in love with you that sometimes when I look at you I forget how to breathe, that I forget the rest of the world exists. I don't care about Mai, we are barely even friends. And you- you are the most beautiful woman I have ever laid eyes on. Don't ever forget it."

"I just get scared sometimes." She admitted quietly. "You're so far out of my league."

Zuko scoffed. "That is the dumbest thing you've ever said." She swatted his arm with a playful smile. "You're the most amazing person I've ever met, you're way out of my league."

She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him into a tight hug. "I'm sorry for overreacting." She mumbled into his neck.

"Don't be." He replied. "I'm sure if any guy openly flirted with you in a bar, I would break his nose."

"I was seriously considering slapping her." She told him with a grin. "I'm pretty strong, if I do say so myself."

"Is it from the squats?"

"Those are leg exercises, genius, how would they help me slap someone harder?"

Zuko shrugged. "It the only exercise I ever pay attention to you doing."

"Oh you are the worst." She laughed, making him smile.

That night, as Mai watched Zuko and Katara perform together on stage, her (she hated to admit) beautiful voice echoing through the bar and his deep one audible every once in a while. Mai was jealous of them, because she showed up today thinking she could get back with the man she loved.

She knew it wasn't happening.

She wasn't sure what Katara was worried about. Zuko looked at her like she was the only thing that mattered. He would give her the moon and the stars if she asked.

Mai sighed, tipping the shot glass of vodka down her throat. She stood up and left the bar. Maybe she would see him again.

The next time Mai saw Zuko and Katara was on TV, then performing on stage in front of millions of people.

•

"This shit is _formidably_ bussin!" Toph called out as she stuffed her face with fried chicken.

It was how she dealt with extreme nerves. Toph ate a fuck load of food, Aang meditated quietly and peacefully, Suki and Sokka went somewhere to make out for a little bit and Zuko tuned his guitar, despite it not actually needing it.

Katara just full on panicked.

They had gotten the record deal with White Lotus Records and released their first album entitled Crossroads of Destiny, and to say they got popular would be an understatement.

They, quite literally, exploded.

Their most popular song on the album tell me who i am had international success when THE Taylor Swift had discovered it, thanks to mutual friends or something, and she praised it on her Twitter. She stated 'this has to be one of the most lyrically beautiful songs i have ever heard' on her Twitter.

When Katara had been tagged in Taylor Swift's fucking tweet and praised for a song she and Zuko had written about their struggles in discovering who they truly were, she sobbed.

Katara knew the Swifties praised Taylor like a goddess (she knew because she was one), so, obviously, her millions of fans listened to the song, and then the rest of the album, and suddenly, AVATAR was number twenty on the _Billboard Hot 100 Chart._

And suddenly, Katara, Zuko, Toph, Suki and Aang were celebrities (the fans loved Sokka too, for both his humour and for putting together their favourite band).

The people loved Aang's sweet heart, Toph's sass, Suki's bad bitch syndrome, Zuko heartbreaker aesthetic (despite the fact that he loved Katara with every fibre in his body) (something new the fans would come to love when the YouTube interviews came around) and Katara's voice and leadership.

They grew so fast because of how charming their little group was. The fans loved scrolling through their Twitter and Instagram and TikTok (Katara and Suki convinced everyone else to download it) and seeing their lives together, seeing the little family.

Hakoda, Kya and Gran Gran were so proud of their 'little' Katara and Sokka, and Pakku secretly was too. The four had front row tickets, as did Azula, Ty Lee, Kiyi, Ursa, Ikem and Iroh. And Suki's parents and many sisters, Toph's mom and Aang's grandfather.

They were all so proud.

It was almost ten months after that day (over a year since the original performance that landed them the deal), and now the group stood backstage of Madison Square Garden and it was a full house out there.

It was their first performance in front of a crowd of thousands for screaming fans, in front of more than a couple of hundred people, and Katara was freaking out.

She sat in front of her vanity mirror, shakily applying another coat of lip gloss, hoping her lips wouldn't become chapped on stage when she sang.

It felt like that time, over a year ago (wow, she had come so far in a year) where she royally freaked out before her performance in front of a crowd of a hundred people.

Now it was thousands. All with phones to record. With the performance being taped. So if she fucked up, the whole world would see. Oh, this was so much worse.

She gripped her hands onto the vanity table, knuckles going white. She was frozen.

The door to her dressing room opened. "Love?" Her grip immediately softened and her heart swelled. "My love? Are you okay?" Katara's boyfriend of over a year appeared in the doorway of her dressing room, striding over to her and hugging her from behind, kissing her cheek.

Katara shook her head frantically. "It's the stage fright again." She mumbled quietly, still gazing at herself in the mirror. "This is our chance, and if I screw up..."

"You won't." He said firmly. "You are amazing, Kat. You always talk yourself down, you won't mess up."

"But what if I do." She flickered her eyes in the mirror to look at him instead of at herself. He gazed down at her with nothing by adoration and love in his eyes.

"If you do? If you somehow mess up, in any way possible, I will always be there for you. To pick you up, or provide a shoulder to cry on, I will be there. So will the rest of the band." He peppered a few butterfly kisses down her neck, causing her to flush. "We all love you, and we wouldn't be here without you. You're the best thing that has happened to this band. You are the best thing that has happened to me."

"You're the best things that's happened to me, too." She responded. She twisted her head to kiss his soft, warm lips, smiling into the kiss like it was the first time. "Just you and me." She repeated his phrase from so long ago.

They didn't speak it, but they both knew she still used his suggestion to calm her stage fright and nerves. It was easy, she looked at him and he looked at her, and she could pretend they were just in a studio together. That it was just the two of them.

When they locked eyes, the rest of the world didn't matter to them, anyways.

"You and me against the world. There isn't another person I would rather do this with." He stroked the long brunette locks of her hair. He thought she looked stunning, not that she usually didn't, but more stunning than her usual stunning.

On like some abnormal goddess level.

She sent him a small half-smile. "When did you become such a romantic sop?" She giggled.

He quirked the corner of his lip up into a smile. "Always have been. I'm pretty wise with words."

"Yeah, when you can actually get them out."

"That was uncalled for."

"What? It's completely true." She shrugged.

Zuko jokingly rolled his eyes, with a small smile. He pressed his lips to hers one last time before he had to find his place on stage. "You're going to kill it, I know you will. I love you."

"I love you more." She told him softly as he turned to leave the room.

He smiled back at her. "Not possible." He told her as he left.

She looked at herself one more time in the mirror. She could do this.

It was her moment.

Her dream as a child.

Her dream now.

And it was about to happen.

She grinned to herself in the mirror.

It was her moment.

And she wasn't going to let it be the last time.

The stage was dark, but noisy when she stepped out from the sanctuary of backstage to the wildness of what lied ahead. Toph was spinning her drumsticks, Aang cracking his fingers and moving them around so they didnt cramp when he played. Suki and Zuko were talking quietly while he finished setting up his mic on a stand.

He glanced her way and threw here a quick smile.

Suki moved back to her position, ensuring her bass was tuned correctly.

Katara let out a deep breath, shaking the nerves out of her hands. She gripped onto the microphone with both of her hands and held it close to her mouth, causing the stand to tilt down a bit.

The crowd quieted down, all eyes drawn to the dark stage.

Katara took one last glance at the love of her life, both nodding once to each other. As Toph hit her drumsticks together, counting down their beginning, she could only keep her eyes locked on his.

Then, everything exploded into action. Toph began wildly and amazingly playing her drums and the lights snapped on, drawing all attention to Katara, who stood front and centre.

And as she sung the first few lyrics of atmosphere, she kept her eyes training on him, who was expertly and quickly strumming his guitar. For a moment it was just them.

A thousand people were watching, and all that mattered was him.

Katara knew that in a room full of a million people, all she would ever see would be him.

She drew her eyes away from him and to the crowd, who were louder than she had ever heard, chanting along the lyrics as she sang, cheering them on and screaming. The feeling was ethereal, otherworldly. She grinned at the feeling as the words beautifully flowed off her tongue.

She tore the microphone out of the stand and stepped around it. She stepped closer to the crowd, who were screaming the lyrics she treasured so, reaching out at her.

In all her career, Katara would always remember her first real concert the most. It would always bring her the best feeling. It would be something she continued to treasure for the rest of her long life, for eternity.

•

www.grammy.com/avatar

**AVATAR NOMINATIONS**

**Record of the Year**  
TELL ME WHO I AM  
Avatar  
Katara Kuruk, Zuko Rokura & Sokka Kuruk, producers; Sokka Kuruk, mastering engineer/mixer

 **Album of the Year**  
CROSSROADS OF DESTINY  
Avatar  
Katara Kuruk, Zuko Rokura, Toph Bei Fong, Suki Kyoshi, Aang Gyatso & Sokka Kuruk, producers; Katara Kuruk & Zuko Rokura, songwriters; Sokka Kuruk, mastering engineer/mixer

 **Song of the Year**  
TELL ME WHO I AM  
Katara Kururk & Zuko Rokura, songwriters (AVATAR)  
WINNER

 **Best Rock Song**  
FIRESTARTER  
Zuko Rokura & Toph Bei Fong, songwriters (AVATAR)

 **Best Alternative Music Album**  
CROSSROADS OF DESTINY  
Avatar

•

They were back in Brooklyn for a bit. Well technically they were staying in New Jersey for Kya's birthday but Zuko and Katara decided to take a little detour and visit their old home.

They travelled a lot now. They finished their tour across the states for the bands latest album, and were surprising the fans with a new one next week.

They moved in together two years ago, living in a beautiful apartment in New York, closer to their new recording studio at White Lotus records.

Sokka and Suki lived together too, not far from Zuko and Katara, neither to far from where they worked. They were going strong, Sokka wanted to propose soon, but he said he wanted to 'wait for the right moment'. Katara is pretty sure Toph and Aang have a bet going on who was going to propose first.

Toph and Aang broke up when the band first got big, a few months after they won a Grammy for Song of the Year. It was mutual. Toph realised that her love for Aang may have actually been platonic love and vice versa so the split was in good terms. They were best friends, and actually roomed together too.

Aang had started seeing a boy from his yoga studio named Teo, but they broke it off after a few months. Then it was On Ji, who he met at the coffee shop. They had been together for about a year. Katara loved her, and she got along with everyone swimmingly, especially Toph. The two were fantastic friends.

Toph spent her time exploring her sexuality and came to the conclusion she was, in fact, a lesbian. The band honestly wasn't surprised, but Sokka was excited that he had new joke material to use against Aang ('Toph dated you and turned out lesbian, I take it that means you're awful in bed'). She started dating a girl named Yaling a few months ago, and Katara had never seen her so happy.

And as for her, Katara had no idea what she was doing.

It was because Zuko insisted that she be blindfolded for some ridiculous reason. He held her hand and lead her through some dank hallways. However, she could faintly smell... candles? Vanilla and sea salt ones, she suspected, her favourite.

Katara heard a door open. She didn't like no knowing where she was, so she gripped Zuko's hand tighter. He chuckled and squeezed back. "Not much further, love."

It had been 4 years and she still blushed when he called her that.

Zuko stopped dragging her along and moved to stand behind her. He kissed her clothed cheek and slowly untied the blindfold.

Katara's eyes adjusted to the light and she saw where he had taken her. She gasped, feeling tears start to prickle in her eyes. She took a step away from him.

It was the old recording studio. It was almost just as she remembered it, except it was decked out in so many scented candles and rose petals and little, twinkling fairylights. It was beautiful. She grinned.

"Zuko... it's beautiful." She told him quietly, but heard no response. Her eyebrows furrowed and span of her heels to face him. "I don't get it- oh my god." She squealed out.

He was there, but not like before.

He was down on one knee, with a small red, velvet box it one hand opened to reveal a beautiful diamond ring.

An engagement ring.

He was proposing.

"Hi there, my love." He said in a whisper. He voice shook, as if he were holding back tears. Katara wasn't, she felt the wet drops of water cascade down her cheeks.

They locked eyes. "Zuko..." They had talked about getting married, and Katara had stated that she didn't want him to make a big deal about it because their lives were so busy anyways.

Of course he didn't care.

He shook his head with a smile. "I know, I know. You said no big, extravagant thing, but I couldn't help myself. You deserve only the best." He took a deep breath, gulping. "Katara, love, my love, this is where I fell in love with you." He gestured to the room. "This is where we wrote our first song together, where we sung together, where we had our first kiss so I thought it was fitting this happened here too. When you walked into that room for the first time, wide eyed and curious, I thought you were the most beautiful person I had ever seen. And I'm pretty sure I fell in love with you the first time you talked to me. I'm not sure of the exact moment I fell for you, but looking back I knew it was in the beginning of everything. And now that we've been through so much together, been there for each other at our lowest and been with each other at our highest, I know there is no one else in this world who I would rather spend the rest of my life with. When I look at you, Katara, I forget how to breath, and the rest of the world fades away because all I can see is you. I love you more than there are planets in the universe. Than there are stars in our sky. And I want to spend forever with you. Katara Kuruk, my love, will you make me the happiest man alive and marry me?"

She was sobbing at that point. Sobbing with joy or love or happiness, she couldn't tell. She took a tentative step forward, cupping his face in her hands. He was crying too, but not without a soft, lovestruck grin on his beautiful face.

She smiled down at him. "Of course I will marry you, Zuko." She dropped down to her knees and pressed their lips together. He grinning into their kiss, wrapping his arms around her waist. "I love you more than words can say." She mumbled.

They broke apart, pressing their foreheads together as Zuko gripped her left hand, kissing the knuckles gently before sliding the ring onto it.

Katara gave her new fiancé a soft smile. "Do you know how many planets there are in the universe?" She asked quietly.

Zuko hummed. "Yeah, I looked it up on Google when I was preparing that speech. More than 700 quintillion." He ran his hand through her hair.

"You love me that much?"

"More."

She kissed his lips again. "Good. Because I love you that much, too."

•

www.tmz.com

June 7th

LEAD SINGER AND GUITARIST OF INTERNATIONAL SENSATION BAND, AVATAR, KATARA KURUK AND ZUKO ROKURA ANNOUNCE ENGAGEMENT AFTER 4 YEARS TOGETHER

"We weren't even surprised when Sparky [Rokura] and Sugar Queen [Kuruk] told us they were engaged. I honestly thought they already were, because they can't seem to keep their hands to themselves, ever. It's f**king annoying." - Toph Bei Fong, drummer of AVATAR and close friend

After 4 years of dating, the current biggest couple in the music industry announce their engagement. Fans of their band, AVATAR, are currently losing their minds on social media. The couple is currently trending on Twitter and are the new hot topic on TikTok.

Kuruk has revealed that both will be keeping their names the same, as they both love their families as well. She has heavily hinted that any future children will have hyphenated last names.

@tophbeifongsupreme  
LOVE IS REAL ZUTARA IS GETTING MARRIED IM F**KING SCREECHINF KINDNXUCHSB

The couple has been receiving many congratulations on Twitter and Instagram from one certain famous friend, Taylor Swift, who was the reason the band first rose to fame. Rokura has also received a beautiful, yet slightly threatening tweet from soon to be brother-in-law, Sokka Kuruk...

•

twitter.com

@zukorokura  
Thrilled to announce that she said yes. I will be eternally freaking out over getting to spend the rest of my life with my soulmate. I love you.

@katarakuruk  
i love you endlessly <3

@billboard  
And at the #1 spot on #BillboardHottest100 is love, i'm yours from #AVATAR 's newest album Awakening.

@katarakuruk  
hey babes! we just came out with our 5th album Awakening, and i hope you all love it just as much as i do. don't expect much from us for a while as... i think you can all guess why :)

@zukorokura  
5th album is out. Awakening. Check it out or something.  
hi guys! - katara <3  
I went to the bathroom for 3 minutes

— @katarakuruk  
u can't stop me  
—— @zukorokura  
Starting to think I made a mistake.  
——— @katarakuruk  
sorry u can't return me, you don't have a receipt :)

@aanggyatso  
hello my lovely followers! the gang and i made album number five, called Awakening. i hope you love it as much as i love you guys! peace and love <3

@sukiikyoshii  
we did another one. Awakening. anyways, people, freak out below about the engagement because i want to freak out with you!!!!!!

@tuffbeifong  
I can't believe we did another fucking album, holy shit. Awakening. Stream it bitches.

@sokkakuruk  
I love Zuko and I'm so happy for them, but he will be loosing his balls if he hurts Katara. This is a threat @zukorokura be warned.

— @zukorokura  
Buddy, you couldn't hurt me if you tried. Not with those twiggy arms.  
—— @sukiikyoshii  
PLSSS NOT THE TWIGGY ARMS

@sukiikyoshii  
so am i going to be ur maid of honour or what? @katarakuruk

— @tuffbeifong  
Fight me for it bitch.  
—— @aanggyatso  
no stop

•

eonline.com

21st September, 2028

AVATAR MANAGER AND BASSIST, SOKKA KURUK AND SUKI KYOSHI ANNOUNCE PREGNANCY!

It's been a wild few months for AVATAR, with the release of their chart-topping album Awakening, a engagement between everyone's favourite couple and now a pregnancy reveal.

Kuruk and Kyoshi have been going strong for almost six years now (we're waiting for him to pop the question), starting off as rivals in college, then becoming friends, and eventually lovers, forming the international sensation band with their close friends.

Kyoshi made the announcement on her Twitter this afternoon...

•

twitter.com

@katarakuruk  
i am officially a married woman. the ceremony was beautiful and i would like to thank everyone who attended, and i am more that ecstatic to be spending the rest of my life with my soulmate. we will be taking some time off, please respect our privacy during this time <3

@zukorokura  
I love my wife.

•

tmz.com

1st December

THEY GOT MARRIED IN SECRET??: SUKI KYOSHI AND SOKKA KURUK HAD A SECRET WEDDING

"We [Kyoshi and Kuruk] just didn't want to make a big deal over it. Like, great, we are officially spending forever together, we knew this already, now it's legal." - Suki Kyoshi, bassist in AVATAR

"Marriage isn't a big deal to us. I love her and she loves me, that's all that really matters. I think Katara convinced us to actually wed, I think she just wanted to be Suki's legal sister." - Sokka Kuruk, manager of AVATAR

These two love-birds have been loved by fans since the band first hit big, so it's not so hard to imagine why they are, once again, trending on Twitter for their surprise marriage announcement.

Kyoshi has revelled that she will be changing her maiden name because, due to personal familial issues, she wishes to officially be a Kuruk as the family has already unconditionally loved and accepted her...

•

tmz.com

April 30th

BABY NEWS: INTRODUCING ALASIE KURUK, DAUGHTER OF SOKKA KURUK AND SUKI KURUK

•

eonline.com

June 8th

ZUKO ROKURA AND KATARA KURUK EXPECTING?

@katarakuruk on twitter  
thrilled to announce that zuko and i are going to be parents in about four months! sorry for the secrecy babes <3

The music industry's biggest and most popular couple are revealed to be expecting their first child...

•

tmz.com

August 19th

AANG GYATSO AND GIRLFRIEND ON JI TAN ENGAGED 

"I'm happy for the little s**t [Gyatso], On Ji is awesome and they're a cool f**king couple." - Toph Bei Fong, drummer for AVATAR...

•

eonline.com

September 4th

INTRODUCING IZUMI ROKURA-KURUK, DAUGHTER OF ZUKO AND KATARA

•

tmz.com

January 5th

BEI FONG ANTI-MARRIAGE?

Toph Bei Fong has stated that she refuses to marry, and her girlfriend agrees.

"I'm not getting married as a giant f**k you to my parents. They always wanted me to marry some rich dude. Yaling and I love each other, but we both would rather just not." - said Bei Fong

Her girlfriend, who we only know the first name of, also stated over the phone "No kids either, they're f**king annoying little s**ts." To which Bei Fong agreed, although she also stated that adoption is not out of the picture for the two.

•

tmz.com

July 2nd

SUKI AND SOKKA KURUK, PARENTS OF TWO NEW KIDS. TWINS!

Suki and Sokka Kuruk have just had two new children, a boy and a girl, and these two, respectively named Kallik and Yue, are the last of this bunch. The two are satisfied with 3 kids and refuse to have any more...

•

eonline.com

April 10th

INTRODUCING KYA ROKURA-KURUK, SECOND DAUGHTER OF ZUKO AND KATARA

Kya Rokura-Kuruk, named after Katara Kuruk's mother and best friend, is reportedly the last child the couple plan on having.

"I like two. Two is a nice number, and they aren't too far apart in age either. I want my children to have a close relationship like my brother and I." - Katara Kuruk, lead vocalist of AVATAR

When Rokura was asked about whether he was disappointed in the sex of his children, he merely laughed. "I've always wanted daughters. I have two younger sisters, and I love both of them so much. Katara tells me that when they grow up, I'm going to be the one being teased constantly, but I don't mind. I love all three of my girls."

•

Zuko and Katara sat on the hospital bed, cradling their newborn daughter, Kya, in their arms. Katara wanted to name their final child after her mom, simply because she adored her mother so greatly. Besides, they didn't need to use Kya's name, because she was now Gran Gran.

Izumi climbed onto her father's lap, staring down at the bundle wrapped in a light pink blanket, with adoration in her eyes. Zuko smiled gently at his, now, eldest daughter.

She took after both of them, but she strongly resembled her father. She had his amber eyes and black hair, although her mother's darker skin tone, hair texture and attitude. Katara always scowled at him when he said that.

Izumi blinked down, turning towards her father. "Daddy, is this my little sister?" She asked him quietly, not wanting to wake up the baby.

Zuko nodded gently, moving some of Izumi's hair out of her face. "Yeah, Zums. This is Kya."

Kya opened her eyes at looked at Izumi curiously. She had her mother's bright blue eyes and brunette hair, however her skin was lighter than Izumi's. Izumi poked at the newborn's chubby cheeks with her index finger, Katara internally groaning.

Kya had just stopped crying, and now it was going to start up again.

But to both parents surprise, she didn't. Kya grabbed onto Izumi's finger with her tiny hand, and Katara nearly started sobbing. Hormones.

Izumi grinned widely, she had dimples, and Katara wasn't sure which one of them passed on that trait. "I love you, Kya. We're going to be the best friends ever." Izumi looked up at her parents. "I love you too, Mommy and Daddy. We have the best family."

Izumi flung her arms around her mother, grabbing her dad's shirt to pull him into the hug. He kissed Izumi's forehead and then his wife's lips.

Katara looked at the window that lead into the little hospital room they had, and she saw the rest of her family. Sokka, Suki and Alasie, with Sokka holding Yue and Suki holding Kallik. Aang was hugging On Ji from behind, and Toph was holding Yaling's hand.

Hakoda and Kya and Kanna and Pakku were there, and so was Iroh, Ursa, Ikem, Azula and Kiyi. Lu Ten and his family were coming over in a few months to see them.

Katara glanced at Zuko, holding his gaze with a smile. The world didn't fade away when they looked at each other, anymore, but it did fade away when Izumi was clutching both of her parents tight in a hug and Katara was cradling Kya.

The world didn't disappear anymore because it wasn't just them. Not anymore. And Katara and Zuko couldn't be happier.

"I love you, my love." Zuko told her, kissing her temple as he sat on the edge of the hospital bed, feet still on the floor.

Katara smiled, leaning back into his warm body. "And I love you. There is no one I'd rather live life with than you." She kissed his lips.

Izumi groaned. "Gross! But I love you guys too! And you, Kya, now you get to be a part of our awesome family. But it's not just us! There's Uncle Sokka and Aunt Suki..." Izumi begun to jabber to her sister about their giant family, not realising Kya had fallen asleep.

Izumi sat in Zuko's lap, him messing with her hair a little bit, making her giggle. He smiled that beautiful smile.

Katara couldn't have asked for more from life. It was funny, as soon as she found Zuko, everything in her life changed.

For the better.

She was doing what she loved for a job, with the people she loved.

And she had her two beautiful daughters.

And the love of her life, who she loved more than all the planets in the universe.

As she sat in the moment, all she could focus on was them, Izumi, Kya and Zuko, and nothing else mattered.

**Author's Note:**

> this was so wholesome i just loved it  
> i love the gaang so much like it’s beautiful  
> also GIRL DAD ZUKO YES PLEASE
> 
> anyways love u xoxo


End file.
